Original Porsche 911 (1964–1973)
The original air-cooled 911 that established the model's rear-engined flat-six formula.
Overview
Porsche unveiled its new six-cylinder sports car as the 901 at the Frankfurt motor show in September 1963. Before series sales began, the production name changed to 911. The car replaced the 356 while preserving a recognisable roofline, round headlamps and a rear-mounted air-cooled engine.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche led the body design. Compared with the 356, the new 2+2 offered more cabin room, larger glass areas and useful luggage space beneath its front lid. Its compact dimensions and distinctive profile established a shape that later 911 generations would repeatedly reinterpret.
Engine and chassis
The original engine was a 2.0-litre air-cooled flat-six with a single overhead camshaft for each cylinder bank. It sat behind the rear axle and drove through a five-speed transaxle. Independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes gave the 911 a more advanced chassis than its predecessor.
Porsche steadily developed the range. The higher-output 911 S arrived during 1966, accompanied by distinctive forged-alloy wheels, while the lower-priced 911 T followed. For 1969 the wheelbase grew by 57 millimetres, improving stability without materially changing the body shape.
Bodies and later development
The coupe was joined by the Targa, which combined a removable roof panel with a fixed roll-over bar and a removable or later fixed rear window. Porsche initially promoted it as a safety-oriented alternative to a conventional convertible.
Engine capacity increased to 2.2 litres for 1970 and 2.4 litres for 1972. The generation culminated in the lightweight Carrera RS 2.7, created to homologate a competition model and recognised by its larger engine, widened rear bodywork and optional ducktail rear spoiler. The substantially revised G-series replaced the original body for 1974.
Key milestones
- 1963: Porsche presents the 901 at the Frankfurt motor show.
- 1964: Series production of the renamed 911 begins.
- 1966: The more powerful 911 S enters the range.
- 1967: The open-roof 911 Targa reaches production.
- 1969: Porsche lengthens the wheelbase by 57 millimetres.
- 1970: Engine capacity increases from 2.0 to 2.2 litres.
- 1972: The 2.4-litre range and Carrera RS 2.7 appear.
- 1973: Production of the original generation ends.